Individual chair



Aug, 18, 1931. A. B. BELL 'IND'IYIDUALGHAIR 192's 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5.

INVENTOR 7 am/ e AATTORNEY,- I

Aug. 1 83 1931 AL; 5; BELL 1- 95808 INDI IDUAL. cxuua' v 1115a June s' ixs zs 2 SreetsF'Sh'eet 2 a lNV-ENTOR a /7 2 I a .a%4/:

A? ATTQRNEY Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES PAIENLI FFICE ALFRED B. BELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PEnNsvLvAiI A, Assrenon T0 H LE & KILBUBN c:

00., or PHILADELPHIA, PENNS *LVANIA, A CORPORATION or DEL ARE INDIVIDUA CHAIR,

Application filed June a, 1929. Serial No. 367,968.

This invention relates to individual chairs and more particularly to chairs for use in railway coaches, busses, tram cars and vehicles in general.

Seats and chairs used in vehicle conveyances serving the public are often in almost continuous use and consequently are subjected to great wear. This wear first becomes evident at certain localities on the seat cushion. Seatcushions having worn localities are'not only uncomfortable, but lose their attractiveness to the traveling public.

, Furthermore, seats used in public conveyances generally are successively occupied by different persons who do not always have any particular regard for the person to next occupy the seat. Seat cushions are therefore often left littered with food particles, papers or other material. Seats used in vehicles'also constantly accumulate dust and dirt during travel, which cannot be wholly prevented. Vehicle seats and chairs as at present constructed present numerous cracks and crevices in which dust, dirt and litter lodges readily, and from which the dirt, dust and litter can be removed only with difficulty. For these reasons seats are often found by thepassenger in-a dirty, unsanitary and uninvitinsr condition.

An object of my invention is to provide an individual chair especiallv adapted ,to use in public conveyances which can be kept clean and sanitary with the greatest ease and facility.

Another obiect of mv invention is to provide an individual chair for use in public convevances having; a seat cushion whigh may be easilv and quickly readiusted in reference to the seat back and seat sup ort during use to distribute the wear around the cushion.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a vehicle seat which is sturdy and seat cushion and back rest from a central pedestal.

My individual chair generally comprises a seat support such as a central pedestal having cushion supporting and back rest supporting brackets mounted thereon. The back rest portion of the chair may be con- Btructedof a unitary piece to include both the back support and the 'arm rests of the chair. The seat cushion, properly padded and less worn parts of the cushion where the wearing action is greatest. The seat cushion is spaced from the seat back at all points. so that litter, dust and dirt .will fall to the floor or between the seat cushion and back rest unit and the seat may cleaned.

Other objects of this invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming-a part of this application and illustrating certain possible embodiments of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is aside view of my individual chair with certain parts broken away to more clearly show the construction; f

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my individual chair looking down on the :seat cushion and back rest, and showing the supporting structure in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of my seat cushion Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of my seat cushion and rear supportingbracket taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and I Fig. 5 is anenlar ged perspective view of one of the front supporting brackets.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. T Y Referring to the drawings, my individual chair comprises generally a seat support inbe easily brushed and 177 eluding a central pedestal having a pair of front brackets and a rear bracket secured to and extending laterally from the pedestal. However, it is understood that any suitable supporting structure may be used to support the seat cushion and back rest within the contemplation of this invention. The back rest portion of my chair as shown in Figures 1 and 2 is made as one unitary piece to include the side arm rests as an integral part of the back support. The one piece back rest unit of the seat is secured directly to the front and rear supporting brackets. The seat cushion rests on the front and rear sup porting brackets, and is adjustably secured thereto.

In the preferred form of seat support, my pedestal comprises a tubular body portion 10 which may be of round or any other cross sectional configuration desired. The pedestal is provided with a lower flange 11 flared outwardly to form a foot portion through which screws or any other securing means may extend to flx the chair permanently to the floor of the vehicle. An outwardly flared flange 12 is also provided at the top of the pedestal to which the supporting brackets may be secured.

The front supporting brackets may be cast into the distinctive shape shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. The front brackets comprise generally a foot portion 18 which seats upon the top flange 12 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner as by a bolt 23. A transverse web portion 14 extends vertically from the outer end of the base portion 13 and is strengthened by the bracing wall portions 15. A flat cushion supporting portion 16 extending forwardly from the transverse web portion 15 forms a hip supporting surface for the front edge of the cushion. The outer end of the cushion supporting portion 16 then extends rearwardly to the arm rest portion of the seat, and forms the arm rest supporting portion 17. The outer end of the arm rest supporting portion is provided with a shelf portion 18 on which the lower edge of the arm rest is adapted to seat, and an upwardly extending flange portion 19 to which the arm rest can be secured as by bolts 20. A pair of web portions 21, extending longitudinally along the bracket from the transverse web portion 14 to the end of the back rest supporting portion 17 gives the necessary strength to the bracket. The lower edges of the longitudinally extending web portions 21 may be tapered outwardly as shown in Fig. 5. Thus the bracket is cast into the distinctive shape described and shown to more effectively support the seat cushion and arm rest portion of the seat back unit.

The rear bracket is provided with a foot portion 22 secured to the pedestal flange 12 as by bolts 23., As shown in Fig. 4 a transverse Web portion 24: extends vertically from the outer end of the base portion 22 and is strengthened by the bracing wall portions 25. A flat cushion supporting portion 26 extending from the transverse wall portion 24 forms a hip supporting surface for the rear edge of the seat. The outer end of the cushion supporting portion is provided with a shelf portion 27 on which the lower rear edge of the seat back unit is adapted to seat, and an upwardly extending flange portion 28 to which the seat back unit can be secured as by bolts 29. A pair of web portions 30 extending longitudinally along the bracket from the transverse web portion 24 to the end of the seat cushion supporting portion 26 gives the necessary strength to the bracket. The rear bracket thus supports both the rear edge of the seat cushion and the middle section of the seat back unit.

In order to give a comfortable inclination to the seat cushion and back rest, the top of the pedestal may be canted as shown in Fig. 1. The two front brackets and the rear bracket are similarly inclined and the cushion supporting portions 16 of the front bra ckets and the cushion supporting portion 26 of the rear bracket lie in the same inclined plane to present flat cushion supporting surfaces.

The back and arm rest unit of the seat is preferably of circular form to conform to the shape of the body. This form of back rest is not only comfortable but lends itself to easy cleanin since there are no corners in which dust and dirt may collect. However, I do not limit myself to back rests. of circular form but may use'any form or shape of back rest and seat cushion within the contemplation of this invention. In the preferred construction, my back and arm rest unit is formed from a single sheet 31 of bendable material,

which may be metal. The sheet is bent to form the arm rest portions of the seat as well as the back support portion, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Padding material 32 can be secured to the interior side of the back portion and a suitable material such as rattan 83 used to cover the padding. Back springs may be incorporated with the padding if desired. Arm rest blocks 34 may be secured to the top of the arm rest portions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The lower edge of the back and arm rest unit is bolted to the front brackets and the rear bracket as heretofore described.

,The seat cushion comprises generally a bottom pan member which may be constructed of some light, strong material such as aluminum or sheet steel. The outer rim of the pan member may be formed into a channel 35 in which a rim stiffening member 36 is secured. Cushion springs (not shown) are variously supported on the seat pan and suitable padding and covering material 37 placed over the springs. Ventilating holes 38 may be provided in the seat pan.

Strengthening ribs 39 may also be variously formed in the pan member to give stiffness and strength thereto.

The seat pan is provided with a flange portion 40 which is adapted to seat upon the seat cushion supporting portion 16 of each of the front brackets and the seat cushion supporting portion 26 of the rear bracket. The seat cushion is so designed that when placed in position upon the supporting brackets the periphery thereof is spaced from the back rest and arm rests at all points, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. It is understood that the seat cushion is shaped to conform somewhat to the shape of the back rest. Preferably, the back rest is'circular in cross section and the seat cushion is of similar shape, and so positioned on the supporting brackets so as to be spaced at all points from the back rest to present a continuous opening th-erebetween. I do not limit myself, however to a circular back rest and seat cushions but may make them of any shape found convenient and desirable, so long as the shape permits the rotation of the cushion on the supporting brackets without closing the space between the cushion and back rest.

To adjustably secure the seat cushion to the supporting brackets, I may provide a plurality of block elements 41 welded to the seat pan, each provided with a threaded hole 42. The block members are so arranged around the cushion panthat the threaded holes therein align with the cushion screw holes in the respective front and rear brack-' ets.

The supporting brackets are spaced equal distances apart. For example, if three brackets are used they are so spaced as to present the screw holes through which the machine screws 48 extend spaced 120 apart.

The threaded holes 42 in the block members in any of the three positions of the seat cushion. It is understood that if more brackets-are used they would be so spaced as to present the screw holes therein spaced equal distances apart. A similar number of block members would likewise be provided having threaded holes spaced accordingly. Rather than provide a plurality of block members, I may simply secure a continuous ring member to the seat pan with threaded holes therein equally spaced to correspond with the screw holes in the supporting brackets.

In vehicle seats genearally the springs along the front edge of the seat cushion weaken first since this part of the cushion receives the most wear. For the same reason the seat cushion covering material along the front edge of the seat cushion is first to show signs of wear. WVhen this occurs my seat arrangement permits the seat cushion screws diiirtobe quickly removed and. the

ranged.

- By thus 'adjustably rearranging the sea 7 cushion in reference to the seat backits'life may be. doubled or tripled. Furthermore, the seat can thus always be maintained in a comfortable condition. and attractive to the occupant.

It is now seen that'I have provided an individual chair especially adapted for transportation uses "which is strong and sturdy, of few parts and which can be readily and quickly adjusted to distribute wear. Theseat back is furthermore so constructed as: to present a continuous smooth interior and exterior with no joints or crevices in which dust and dirt may gather. Furthermore the seat. cushion is so spaced from the seat back that the seat back and seat cushion can be brushed freefrorn dust and litter without effort, the foreign matter dropping between the seat cushion and back rest and onto the floor.

.As many changes could be made in the above construction and as many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter' contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

l/Vhat I claim is:

1. In combination with a vehicle seat havv ing a base support, a seat cushion, and an arm rest, of a bracket comprising a base portion resting on and secured to said base support, a fiat cushion supporting portion extending forwardly from said base support and supporting the cushion along the front edge thereof, an arm rest supporting portion extending rearwardly from the end of said cushion supporting portion, supporting the arm rest, and a laterally extending flange at the end of said arm rest supporting portion to which the arm rest is secured.

2. In seat construction, a bracket comprising a base portion adapted to rest on and be secured to a support, a fiat cushion support ing portion above and spaced from said base, and a web portion connecting said supporting portion to said base portion, the outer end of said cushion supporting portion being provided with a laterally extending flange to which the back rest of the seat may be secured.

3. In seat construction, a bracket combe secured to a support, a flat cushion supporting portion above and spaced from said base portion, a transversely extending web portion connecting one end of the base portion to the inner end of said cushion supporting portion, and a longitudinally extending web portion connecting said transverse web portion to said cushion supporting portion.

4. In seat construction, a bracket comprising a base portion adapted to rest on and be secured to a support, a fiat cushion supporting portion above and spaced from said base portion, a transversely extending web portion connecting one end of the base portion to the inner end of said cushion supporting portion, and a longitudinally extending web portion connecting said transverse Web portion to said cushion supporting portion, the outer end of said cushion supporting portion being provided With a laterally extending flange to which the back seat of the seat may be secured.

5. In a chair of the character described, in combination, a support, a bracket on the rear of the support extending rearwardly and upwardly, brackets on the front corners of the support extending sidewise and upwardly, each of said brackets having cushion supporting surfaces intermediate their ends, a cushion resting on said surfaces, and a seat back supported on the outer ends of said brackets, leaving a clear space between said cushion and support and between the cushion and the seat back. a

This specification signed this 28th day of May, 1929. V

ALFRED B. BELL. 

